U.S. panel urges universal rotavirus vaccination

The news story linked here reports that a federal advisory panel has recommended that every U.S. infant be vaccinated against rotavirus, a common and potentially fatal cause of childhood diarrhea and vomiting. (Rotavirus is typically less severe in the United States, where children have better access to healthcare.)

The FDA licensed an oral rotavirus vaccine for infants earlier this month. The new vaccine is named RotaTeq and is manufactured by Merck & Co. This vaccine replaces RotaShield, which was pulled off the market by Wyeth Laboratories late in 1999 after it made several children ill.

My almost-3-year-old nephew was recently hospitalized with Rotavirus because he was dehydrated. I'm sure that was far from a pleasant experience for such an active little boy. Evidently, the doctors in their area have seen a lot of cases of Rotavirus lately.

I don't know if they will develop a protocol for vaccinating older children for Rotavirus or not. The recommendations I have seem for this new shot have all been for infants. If I still had an infant, I doubt I would be running out to get her vaccinated for it. Since my children are at home with me instead of in a daycare and they have all been extended nursers, I've never felt it was necessary. (Keithen was offered RotaShield as a baby and we turned it down.)

I am, however, curious to find out if they will recommend it for school age children. Something has been going around Keithen's school this past week, with an average of 5 kids out of each class daily. Now Keithen and Kaylee are both sick today. Since we have access to good health care and we aren't around people who have compromised immune systems, I'm not sure how I'd feel about being asked to pump another vaccine into my school aged kids. I'd be tempted to say, "No thank you" but my step sister's experience with my nephew does weigh heavily on my mind.